Ashura: A Pakistani Shiite Muslim boy prepares to flagellate himself with chains a day ahead of Ashura, the tenth day in the month of Muharram, in Peshawar, Pakistan

Bloodied: An Afghan Shi'ite Muslim flagellates himself during an Ashura procession in Kabul

Hitting: A Pakistani Shiite Muslim boy (left) and a man (right) participate in ritual self-flagellation during the religious procession. Ashura, which falls on the 10th day of the Islamic month of Muharram, commemorates the death of Imam Hussein, grandson of Prophet Mohammad, who was killed in the 7th century battle of Kerbala

Imam Hussein who was killed by armies of the Yazid near Karbala in 680 AD.

He was killed by his political rivals along with 72 companions in the seventh century battle of Kerbala where some of the bodies of the dead were then mutilated.

People taking part in the procession hit themselves with blades on long chains and draw blood on their backs and heads.

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Millions of pilgrims poured into the Iraqi city of Karbala for the peak of commemorations for Ashura today, the most important day in the Shi'ite calendar, with security tight following mass-casualty attacks in previous years.

Shi'ite Muslims run between the Imam Hussein and Imam Abbas shrines as part of the ritual ceremony of Ashura in Karbala, 50 miles southwest of Baghdad.

In some regions of Muslim countries such as Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Pakistan, Lebanon, and Bahrain, the commemoration has become a national holiday.

Painful: Some men took knives to themselves during the procession

Devoted: The people use blades on chains to inflict injuries on themselves

Religion: Millions of pilgrims poured into the Iraqi city of Karbala for the peak of commemorations for Ashura today, the most important day in the Shi'ite calendar

Mourning: Iranians and Iraqi Shiite mourn at the Ashura ceremonies at the Kerbala mosque in Tehran, Iran